Containers



United States Patent 3,498,526 CONTAINERS Stanley John Edwards, London, England, assignor to The British Petroleum Company Limited, London, England, a corporation of England Filed July 2, 1968, Ser. No. 742,080 Claims priority, application Great Britain, July 13, 1967, 32,208/67 Int. Cl. B65d 85/32 US. Cl. 229-44 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An egg box comprises a base section and a cover section, the cover section being in the form of two pieces each of which is hinged to the base section along opposite sides, the two pieces of the cover section being made of a resilient material and so shaped that in the closed position they impinge and slightly compress each other thereby forming a firm closure. The top edges of the sides bearing the hinges are preferably horizontal but the top edges of the other sides preferably slope gently downwards from the sides bearing the hinges to meet in the middle in the form of a flattened V.

This invention relates to containers, and particularly although not exclusively, to containers for eggs.

For many years, eggs have been transported and sold in-disposable egg boxes. These boxes are generally manufactured in moulded pulp and consist of an integral unit comprising a base section, a lid section and a locking flap. The base section is often moulded to provide round or roughly semi-ovoidal depressions in to which the eggs can nest, the depressions being separated by ribs which prevent the eggs from contacting one another and also give strength to the base. The cover is generally plain in construction or may be provided with indentations and/ or cut outs or may be similar to the base. Sometimes the sides and top are contoured. The lid is hinged to the base and it is necessary to provide a locking device which holds the lid firmly in position when it is folded over onto the base, yet which may be released quickly and easily when desired. The locking device is generally a flap hinged to the base on the opposite side of the base from the lid and coacting in some fashion with the lid when the latter is in the closed position. Many locking devices of this type have been proposed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a container comprising a new and improved locking device.

Thus according to the present invention there is provided a container comprising a base section and a cover section, the cover section being in the form of two pieces each of which is hinged to the base section along at least part of opposite sides, the two pieces of the cover section being made of a resilient material and so shaped that in the closed position they impinge and slightly compress each other thereby forming a firm closure.

The base of the container is preferably divided into a number of pockets or cells suitable for holding eggs, the eggs being prevented from touching each other by means of relatively high ribs. Usually the base is divided into 6 pockets, although any other number may be provided by modifying the dimensions of the container. In the case of a -6 pocket container, the pockets are arranged as two rows of three thus providing a container whose plan view is rectangular.

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The hinges are preferably horizontal and may be on the shorter or longer sides of the container. The top edges of the sides not bearing the hinges are preferably not horizontal but in the form of two halves sloping gently downwards from the sides bearing the hinges to meet in the middle. This arrangement when viewed from the side is in the form of a flattened V.

When the container has 6 pockets and the cover sections are hinged to the base along the shorter sides, then it is not possible for the two parts of the cover section to be of equal size, since the two parts when closed together would meet in the space occupied by a pair of eggs. In this case one cover section will extend /a of the distance across the box to meet the other cover section which extends /3 of the distance. Symmetry of design is possible when the two cover sections are hinged to the longer sides of the base.

Suitable materials for the construction of the containers are thermoplastic resins, especially foamed thermoplastic resins e.g. foamed polystyrene sheet.

Containers according to the present invention are suitable for use in the storage of eggs, fruit and other fragile or soft commodities.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawing which is an end elevation of a six compartment egg box. With reference to the drawing the box comprises a base 1 and cover sections 2 and 3 hinged at 4 and'5 respectively. The cover sections 2 and 3 and hinges 4 and S are integral with base 1. The edges 8 and 9 slope gently downwards from the hinges 4 and 5 to meet at intersection 12, thus edges 4 and 5 form a flattened V. The two parts 2 and 3 of the cover section meet and compress each other at 10 and tend to flatten the V further. The cover sections are shaped such that on closing them, a position is passed through, where the interaction between the cover sections is greater than in the fully closed position. This interaction besides tending to compress the cover sections also tends to further flatten the V. The effect is that the fully closed position is one of relatively stable equilibrium since on opening the cover sections by a small amount the interaction is increased, the reaction to which has a restoring effect.

What we claim is:

1. A container comprising a base section and a cover section, the base section being divided into a number of pockets or cells suitable for holding eggs, the eggs being prevented from touching each other by means of relatively high ribs, the cover section being in the form of two pieces each of which is hinged to the base section along at least part of opposite sides, the top edges of the sides not hearing the hinges being in the form of two halves sloping gently downwards from the sides bearing the hinges to meet in the middle and the two pieces of the cover section being made of a resilient material and so shaped that in the closed position they impinge and slightly compress each other thereby forming a firm closure.

2. A container according to claim 1 wherein the container has six pockets arranged in two rows of three and the cover sections are hinged to the base sections along the longer sides.

3. A container according to claim 1 wherein the container is made from a thermoplastic resin.

4. A container according to claim 3 wherein the thermoplastic resin is a foamed thermoplastic resin.

5. A container according to claim 1 wherein the cover sections are shaped such that, on closing them, a position is passed through where the interaction between the cover sections is greater than in the fully closed position.

March 3, 1970 5. J. EDWARDS 3,498,526

CONTAINERS Filed July 2, 1968 JWVEIVTOE STANLEY JOI IN EDWARDS 

